Today's Sunday Times suggests that EI is now looking at focusing its efforts on developing existing short haul routes, which seems to be a departure from the last strategy, which appeared to focus on short haul routes of more than 2h. Regardless of what s/h routes are operated, FR can still complete with them, route for route if it chooses; it's already signalled a significant increase in s/h routes ex-DUB if the planned takeover fails, so why not proceed with long haul plans?
There's been very little said by EI about long haul; OK, growth on t/a routes is stalled by the Open Skies thing, but what about eastbound growth?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...426416,00.html